Madness: Fluctuation
by ChineseLegolas
Summary: The story continues where Continuum left off. Madness: Fluctuation details the daily life of the team, including the good, the bad, and the very awkward. This is the golden era of The Madness Series. It is a time of tranquil, and sometimes not-so-tranquil, peace.
1. Introduction

**If you're reading this, then I thank you for taking the time to read through my fanfiction!**

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><p><span>Dramatis Personae of <span>_Madness: Fluctuation_

- "Mary" - Fiend  
>- Xaedan - Toa of Fire<br>- Caine - Toa of Air  
>- Tsukumi - Toa of Water<br>- Kaixin - Toa of Ice  
>- Anzix - Toa of Plasma<br>- Amea - Toa of Sonics  
>- Infernum - Great Being<br>- Mata Nui - Great Spirit of the Matoran Universe

Special Thanks

**Vest and Bow Tie:** He has kindly beta'd my story. A big thanks to you for going through everything and faithfully recording each and every one of my errors.

**Zanywoop:** He took over a bit of beta'ing and has read up until this point. He's also good at Hearthstone.

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><p><em>And so, without further ado, let us begin.<em>


	2. Chapter I

fluc·tu·a·tion, /fləkCHo͞oˈāSHən/ **Noun** - _an irregular rising and falling in number or amount; a variation._

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><p><strong><span>Chapter I<span>**

Toa Xaedan

"Hey. Hey! Wake up, sleepyhead! Xaedan!"

I groan as the morning light meets my eyes.

And so begins a new day. A day where the sun shines through a crack in the curtains right in my face, mind you.

I was lucky enough to have the foresight to just drink one glass, yet a small hangover still managed to catch up to me. But not "Mary". She's peering down at me, cheery and spry as ever.

"Tsukumi and Kaixin are already downstairs, so hurry up, ok?" I nod and make a shooing motion. Already, I'm tempted to just close my eyes and sleep the headache off.

"Xaedan!" "Mary"'s voice floats from the kitchen. "Kaixin's nearly ready with the breakfast! So come on out already!" All pretenses of a peaceful morning, and indeed all notions of sleep, were instantly ejected from my brain.

This is bad. This is so very bad. I still remember what happened last time when I ate Kaixin's food. I think I nearly died from the mother of all food poisonings. I have no wish for a natural disaster to occur so I heed "Mary"'s so-called "advice", nearly sprinting in my own home.

And I gasp.

I'm... I'm too late.

* * *

><p><em>Seven hours ago, in the streets of Haven's Residential Area<em>

Toa Tsukumi

I wake up to three things: the dawn's feeble light, a migraine, and dumpster breath. Mmmmm. I just _love_ the smell of alcohol in the morning.

Dear Mata Nui, I stink...

"Your orders, madam?" I bolt upright and a woolen blanket falls off of me.

"D- don't scare me like that, you crazed woman!" I yelp, while narrowing my eyes. "And why was there a blanket on me?" My contact wordlessly holds out a tiny slip of paper and I mouth out the words as I read it. With each word I read, my eyebrows climb another inch. Ahh, I see.

My contact must have seen this and was the one who found the blanket. Such faithful behaviour is only to be expected of an underling. At last, I say, "Any idea who wrote this?"

I'm met with a single shake of the head.

"Fine, then. Whatever. Now, hurry up, what news?"

"I have successfully tracked the target down and he will be at home for the entire morning," my contact replies with a soft, almost wispy, tone. "You will have until noon to get to him. It should be an easy job for someone of your caliber. Just get in, do your thing, get out. No one will be the wiser."

I nod. "Good work, I'll have the other half of your payment ready by tomorrow evening. It's always a pleasure doing business with you."

"Likewise."

She turns away but I quickly grasp her shoulder. "By the way. You were the one with the blanket, right?" I get a single nod. She doesn't really speaking, does she? Well, at least she gets her job done. "So... how long have you been here?"

"Since two in the morning, madam."

Ooh, that's awkward. My contact turns and walks away. "Wait!" I call after her. "So you're saying you've been staring at me for four hours?" I get no response.

Wow.

Rude.

* * *

><p><span>Toa Xaedan<span>

"Nooo!" I roar. Charging through dining room, I make my way to the table where a figure with a white blanket over his head sat slumped, unbreathing, unmoving. With pounding heart and rapid breaths, I whip the cover off. I brace myself for the worst. Could it be a victim of Kaixin's cooking? Had she finally crossed the thin line between cook and murderer?

Oh.

Wow. I replace the blanket.

It's just Tsukumi. I hope she _did_ eat some of the Toa of Ice's food and died.

"Morning, Xaedan!"

"Uh, Kaixin, why are you wearing an apron?" I ask tentatively while staring at her.

"Consider me your personal chef, ok?"

About ten seconds later, "Mary" was desperately trying to stop me from throwing myself out of the nearest window. "Let me go, let me go! I'd rather commit suicide and die with honour!"

With a sheepish look, "Mary" apologized to Kaixin who just simply shrugged and continued working on whatever culinary disaster she had started earlier, humming some cheerful tune that really did not go with this deadly scenario.

To me, she hissed, "What are you doing, Xaedan? Stop being stupid!" I would have continued to wriggle out the window if it weren't for a white-and-black clad Toa standing there, quietly observing. "Huh? Who's that?" "Mary" asks. She lets go of me and I tumble out the window, landing on my head.

"Ow, ow! She's Amea, the Toa of Sonics. Amea, this is "Mary", as you probably know already." She nods. A thought suddenly hits me, and I take the time to count with my fingers.

There's "Mary"... Kaixin and Tsukumi... and now Amea. I frown. "Why are there always girls in my house every morning?" I thunder. Seriously, it was becoming a pain...

The window closes. I blink.

Huh?

Tsukumi, apparently cured from her Kaixin-food induced stupor, waves from the other side, the _correct_ side, with Amea who is following suit.

Whenever did she get inside?

Oh, and that's not all. The Toa of Water is dangling my house keys less than a meter away from me. "Hey!" I holler. "Let me in! It's _my_ house!"

Tsukumi shrugs while Amea cups a hand to her ear, signalling she couldn't hear what I said. "You're a Toa of Sonics! I know full well you heard!" I scream indignantly to no avail.

They walk away.

"Get back here you two! This is a criminal case! It's grand theft estate! It's a violation of my unalienable rights as a person!"

Tsukumi snaps the window open for a split second and yells back at me.

"Maggots don't have rights!"


	3. Chapter II

**Chapter II**

Toa Xaedan

My stomach growls as I plod alongside the rest of the team, sulking.

"You guys suck," I mumble. I had to miss breakfast due to this morning's shenanigans.

"Mary" places an arm around me and it is immediately followed with Kaixin's arm from the other side, though she does it nowhere nearly as gently.

"Chin up, Xaedan," "Mary" chides. "We've a little something planned for the next few days."

"Yes, 'tis right, firespitter! We're going on a vacation!" Kaixin exclaims. "It'll be fun, just you see. Summer's halfway over, we really need to stretch our legs."

Well, that was unexpected. "That's very wonderful of you and all, but that still doesn't explain why you lot locked me out of my own home or made me skip breakfast."

"Well, keep mulling it over, 'cuz we aren't going to tell you," Tsukumi replies with a hugely annoying, self-satisfied smirk. "Now, come on. Don't just stand there like a maggot, we need to make a stop at the library."

"Library? Whatever for?" "Mary" asked. I would have said the same thing if I wasn't trying to mentally list ways to erase Tsukumi off the face of the planet.

"Actually, I'm not too sure myself. It's Amea here who wants to go and if we didn't, she wouldn't accompany us on our little vacation." Amea vigourously nods her head.

Out of the blue, we all jump slightly as we hear her speak for the first time this whole morning. "There is a certain... someone... who must join our group."

Kaixin's eyes light up. "Oh? A friend? Perhaps just a friend? Or a friend who is just a bit more?" Looks like Kaixin is to up to her old tricks again. Even "Mary" is listening in, clearly interested in gaining more gossip material.

In response, Amea looks at Kaixin with undivided attention, straight into her face.

"No."

The Toa of Sonics pauses to allow a serene smile to pass over her face. She clasps her hands together and takes a deep breath. "He is my fiance."

A collective cry of "Whaaat?" could be heard through the entire street at that moment, drawing a disapproving glare of some wizened old Po-Matoran. "Young whippersnappers these days...!" he wheezed before tripping on his own cane.

I let out a cry of "Oh, thank Mata Nui! There's another guy coming on the trip. I thought I'd be surrounded by you lot, a lone, masculine island in a tumultuous, stormy feminine sea."

"_That's_ what you were worried about?" Kaixin splutters incredulously. "And that usage of imagery was... disturbing."

"Am I really all that tumultuous?" "Mary" rubs her chin and frowns. "Kaixin, how might I get less tumultuous?" Tsukumi strides over to "Mary" and give her light chop over the head. She threatens Kaixin and I as well, daring us to contribute more to this idiotic conversation. With a grunt, Tsukumi beckoned us to follow. "Amea already went up ahead while you two got sucked into the maggot's over-the-top imagination. She should already be in the library."

Meekly, we followed the Toa of Water's hurried footsteps. In a hushed whisper, Kaixin asked, "How _does_ one becomes less tumultuous, Xaedan? "Mary"'s got a point, you know."

I smile. "You start by asking less dumb questions, Kaixin," I reply warmly.

* * *

><p>"Hey, Xaedan."<p>

"Yeah, "Mary"?"

"Why is the library on fire?"

"That's an excellent question. Kaixin, have you information to add to this inquiry?"

"Hmm. Nothing comes to my mind, sorry."

"Hey!" Tsukumi cuts in with a yell. "Don't just stand there, maggot, help me put the fire out!" With the two of us working together, it didn't take long for the raging inferno to die down. On one side, I'd absorb the fire while on the other, Tsukumi would simply just drench everything with her a minute, all that was left of the churning fire was a pile of smoking ash.

Miraculously, much of the library remained standing, so the four of us charged inside without a second thought, all of us trying to find Amea. Hopefully, she'd have escaped the blaze or wasn't harmed.

"Have you seen him?"

We turn and luck would have it, we see the Toa of Sonics.

"Have you seen him?" she repeats. The Toa of Sonics appears to have sustained no fire-related injuries, thankfully. However, what worries me more is the taser she holds in one hand and the singed sheet of parchment she holds in the other.

Amea holds up a finger. "I hear him."

As if in confirmation, I notice a frantic scuffling from behind a nearby bookcase. Now holding her raised finger to her lips, Amea tiptoes to the case, ever so quietly. All of us hold our breath. Who could it be? What kind of monster would go so far as to commit arson? Without warning, she lunges.

Time seems to slow.

I notice Kaixin bringing her hands to her mouth in horror. Tsukumi is yelling something with her arm stretched out, warning the Toa of Sonics. A bright flash of blue light is emitted from behind the arsonist's bookcase, accompanied by loud crackles and screams of agony.

She did it! Amea captured the criminal! "Way to go, Amea!" I holler.

"I wouldn't be so happy if I were you, Xaedan..." "Mary" cautions. "Look closer."

Amea drags the now struggling, slightly smoking body of the arsonist before us.

"I never said I'd marry you, dammit!"

...Anzix? The Toa of Plasma was wriggling on the floor, hog-tied with rope and with Amea's foot on top of his head. "Xaedan... Kaixin... anyone! Stop her! That piece of paper is a civil wedding contract! I tried to burn it with a bit of plasma, but who knew books were so flammable?"

"I feel compelled to ask. How did you even get a marriage contract, Amea? No, wait. How'd you even get that taser? They've only just been invented by the Vo-Matoran." Kaixin asks.

"Oh. Tsukumi gave me some of her spare stuff-" At that, the Water Toa rushes forward and clamps a hand over Amea's mouth. "My my, the weather is wonderful to- Hey! Kaixin, "Mary", don't rub your palms so dastardly like that! You two always do that before starting a rumour!"

"Is anyone going to help me out?" Anzix does his best to mumble, seeing as Amea's foot has planted his face in the floor.

"Weren't we supposed to go on a vacation or something?" I pipe up. "I think we are just a little bit behind schedule now."

"Shut up, maggot. Don't you think I know that? But first, we have to deal with Amea's and this wad of meat's marriage first, right? That's important."

With a loud "Noooooo~!" Anzix finally wriggles free. His escape is short-lived, however, as it does not take long for Amea to pounce on top with him and follow up with a quick swipe of her taser.

"Amea's scary..." I hear Kaixin mutter to "Mary". I couldn't agree more.

"All right, I'm ready," announced the Sonics Toa. "I'll take care of my till-death-do-we-part when we get back."

"Uh..."

"Yes, Kaixin?"

"Why are you dragging Anzix around while he's cuffed to your wrists? And where did you even get those handcuffs...?"

"Oh. Tsukumi gave me one-"

"Ok, let's just go!" the Toa of Water says all too loudly, with a huge forced smile.

"Yay! We're going on a vacation!" "Mary" cries. "It'll be my first time. Xaedan, are vacations fun?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'd say so," I reply as the six of us exit the library, now finally on our way to our destination. We cheer and set off.

Yet, not everyone shared our happiness. Our loud cry had drawn the disapproving glare of the same, wizened old Po-Matoran. "Is anyone going to help me up?" he spluttered. One by one, we step over his sprawled body. Except for Tsukumi, who treads on his head.

"Young whippersnappers these days...!"


	4. Chapter III

**Chapter III**

Toa Xaedan

Walking to the outskirts of Haven took not more than half an hour. The minutes were passed by with "Mary" and Kaixin's less-than-delightful running commentary, often in the form of poking fun of Tsukumi and I.

They just don't seem to get that the Water Toa and I hate each other's guts.

I gasp. "What is... this?!" At last, we had arrived at the station. In all honesty, I expected a quaint little wooden hut with enlarged Ussal Crabs for us to ride. Something simple.

Not... this.

The rest of the team is similarly awestruck. Even Anzix, who's having some difficulty looking up from the ground handcuffed as he is, widens his eyes.

"Oh! I This is a train. I would have never guessed you people already came so far!" "Mary" quickly explained. "Where I used to come from, we actually have _stopped_ using trains. But, still."

"Huh," Tsukumi replied with raised eyebrows. "Me neither. I never knew we were such an advanced race. Seems like the Matoran and Agori have come a long way since the Reformation."

"Well, Xae's told me about his time on Metru Nui. Back in the day, they had gadgets and doodads even more advanced than this rustbucket."

"You call _this_ a rustbucket, "Mary"?" Kaixin exclaimed, clearly aghast. "This is a work of wonder!"

And indeed it was. Even for a former Metru Nui Matoran, this hulking colossus of steel instills me with a sense of powerlessness. It was more of a gleaming, gold-trimmed beast than a mode of transportation. The train was painted a midnight black, the lack of colour only making it seem more solid and robust. Engraved in bold, white letters was this incredible machine's name: "Spirit of Faxis".

Ah, so that's where we're headed. Faxis Beach. A southern port city, the second largest on the island. I've never been there, but I've heard of the wonderful weather, the hot springs, the white, pristine beaches… I could go on. As long as it involves anything "tropical", chances are, it can be found in Faxis Beach.

The train stretched farther than the eye could see. Most of it was hidden behind roiling clouds of acrid steam pouring from the engine smokestack, making the outlines of the cars hazy and rather hard to make out. At thirty-two, I just gave up. This train seemed to stretch on like nobody's business.

A harrumph.

"Sirs, madams. Might I have your attention?"

Thus ensued a great deal of searching as the six of us, or rather, five (Anzix was still hog-tied and on the ground cuffed to Amea), tried to locate the source of the grumpy voice. In the end, we decided it was probably Kaixin playing a joke on us with her insane ventriloquist skills. That, or it was just a figment of our collective imaginations.

"Down here!" came the gruff tone again, this time a bit indignant. "I am going to have to ask all you to get aboard the train at once, even if you happen to be Toa. You are holding up the other passengers."

Ah, so that was the source of the voice. A rotund little Fire Agori, exceedingly short. He wore an Elda, so the mustache complemented his look well. He was at least three feet below our field of vision.

It must be hard to be so tiny.

The Agori was right. Well, eighteen percent right, to be exact. It was just Anzix who was blocking the way, seeing as he was lying right in front of the staircase. Behind him was a crowd of the little people, angrily waving tickets. If this kept up any longer, they'd be brandishing pitchforks and lit torches instead.

Tsukumi sighed. "Perhaps it's best to just untie the slab of meat before boarding the train, Amea. The shorty's right."

The Fire Agori took the insult without flinching. A true professional.

Amea appeared to ponder this latest predicament, staring intently at the handcuffs linking her and the poor Toa of Plasma. At last, she spoke. "Do you promise to be a good boy, Anzix?"

"I'll be as good as it takes to not get dragged on the floor for a kilometer again…"

* * *

><p>We make ourselves at home in one of the many cars of the train. We, being a little bigger than average, were shown a specially tailored car. It wasn't anything too special really. Just a bit of extra head room. Honestly, the six of us were happy just to be able to sit fully upright.<p>

"Say, watcha got there, Tsukumi?" Kaixin asked while craning her head forwards. All of us were seated in the same compartment, us two guys across from the girls. The Toa of Water had her nose deep in some kind of thick brochure.

"Some Ce-Matoran shoved this in my hand at the entrance of this station. Apparently, it has a few psychology quizzes. Not sure if they're worth the time, though."

"I'm sure they'll have some degree of plausibility," "Mary" assured her. "After all, those Ce-Matoran do know what they're doing."

"Fine then. I'll test Xaedan for the first one."

I look up in alarm, not unlike a deer in the headlights. "Huh? Me? Why me?"

"Why not you, maggot? So. You have five colours, red, green, blue, orange and yellow. Based on which you think suits us the most, assign one to each of us." Tsukumi is still burying her face in the brochure, but I see a small smile.

"Oh. That doesn't seem too bad," I start, though still wary of that odd smile. "Hm. I think... Maybe green for Amea?" I'd better test the waters with just one colour.

Thankfully, the Water Toa hasn't done anything and I'm still alive. "Then, perhaps orange for... Kaixin. Yes."

"Not orange for me? I'm pretty orange."

"I don't know, Anzix. You seem more... yellow."

I check for any impending danger. None. If anything, Tsukumi smile has widened.

I continue.

"So , blue and red left."

"I'm red, right, Xaedan?" "Mary predicted.

"Actually, you're blue. Tsukumi is more red."

"Mary" laughed. "What's your deal with messing around all our armor colours?"

A loud tearing noise makes me jump. Tsukumi's smile was gone now, and in its place was a ripped brochure. "Hey!" Kaixin exclaimed. "How will we know what the colours mean now?" The Toa of Water huffed and put the two halves next to each other. "Green is a calm colour. It means you're on good terms with that person, neither too friendly nor hostile."

Amea says nothing.

That about sums up Amea and I, seeing as we've exchanged maybe ten words.

"Orange," Tsukumi continues, "is a warm colour. That person is like a source of energy. Kaixin's pretty hyperactive, so that sounds right." The Ice Toa nods happily. "Maybe I should have orange as my favourite colour now!"

"Then yellow is an in-between colour. You don't think too highly of this person, but you do acknowledge the person, perhaps as an equal."

Anzix dramatically raises his arms to his face. "Oh, is that all I am to you? Just someone to be acknowledged, Xaedan?"

"No, you're a slab of meat. Shut it." Tsukumi narrows her eyes. "Now, maggot. Why did you choose red for me and not blue?"

Oh, Kazahrni's left buttock. If I tell her... "Will you get mad in any way, shape or form if I say why?"

Tsukumi puts on a radiant smile that would have charmed an Ash Bear out of hibernation. "Why would I ever do that to you?"

"Well... Anzix, why don't you explain?"

"Wait just a minute, maggot. What does the pile of meat have to do with this?"

I sigh. "Everything."

By now, the Toa of Plasma had scooted over and had his "camera", as he calls it, in hand. He said he bought it for a small fortune from some dodgy Agori who claimed it could freeze time into a little piece of paper.

"The fire-spitter's right. I'm the one behind this. You see, I snuck into your house the other day Tsukumi-"

"What?"

"-so I could update my tabs on you. I also peeked into Kaixin's home, but that's irrelevant."

"I really did not need to know that," Kaixin muttered.

"Anyhow, I showed Xaedan a picture of a two-foot, flaming-red teddy bear with a heart on its belly, situated on the right side of your bed which is made of a dark wood and has a white comforter, along with a-"

Tsukumi punches Anzix.

"Why?" the Toa of Water growled.

"Because I am deeply interested in the inner mechanics of the opposite gender. As such, I conduct much-needed research into this obscure field. I am a pioneer in this untapped wealth of information!"

"So, you're a pervert?" "Mary" pipes up.

"If that means smelling Tsukumi's pillow, sure."

This isn't the first time Anzix has gone on one of his shenanigans. In fact, on the first day I got here, he's been trying to sell me all sorts of embarrassing pictures of the girls on our team. Heck, he's even got a mug shot of Kaixin picking her nose.

Honestly, I'm used to this by now. I just pay no attention to Anzix for the most part. I sigh, once again. This escalated quickly.

"Long story short, after seeing your teddy bear, it makes me associate the colour red with you, Tsukumi. There's just no way I can get it out of my head now." I look up, expecting a nod of understanding.

What greets my eyes is just a little bit different. Both Tsukumi and Amea are looming over me, their eyes suddenly glowing a rather terrifying shade of crimson.

"Say, uh, Tsukumi? Were your eyes always glowing a really dangerous shade of red? Or is it just me?"

"Oh, no, don't worry about it. It's just a manifestation of my anger and sudden urge to dispose of you."

"Wait, what?"

"You know too much, maggot. After finding about Winston, surely you can't expect me to let you live."

"You named you teddy bear Winston?" Kaixin murmurs in the background. "Winston sounds... cuddly. And cute."

"Shut it."

"Hey!" Making the use of the small distraction Kaixin caused, Anzix hisses in my ear. "Mind helping me out with Amea? She's about to electrocute me."

"Sorry, I'm about to get murdered. How about some other time?"

"Oh, sorry for disturbing you, Xaedan. Let me know you're available, alright?"

The Toa of Water chops Anzix over the head, putting an end to his shenanigans. True to his word, Amea silently sneaks up from behind him, puts a sleeper hold over him and buries her taser in his back while whispering all sorts of scary things. I catch spine-chilling snippets such as "legally binding", "cheating", "adultery", and "wad of meat".

"Hmph. Your turn, maggot. "Mary", be a dear and help me open the train window."

"Okee-dokee!"

The relative quiet of our train car soon vanished, replaced by the outside wind's roar. The sound was deafening; the volume just went up from nothing to everything in an instant. Tsukumi roughly bundles my head out. I fear for my life and my looks. You never know when some errant sign might smash into my mask.

With the hundred-mio wind flapping my cheeks, I holler, "Hey, Kaixin? You might want to help me! Start by calling the local authorities, there's a murder happening!"

She sticks her tongue out. "No can do, bossman. I'm busy eating popcorn and watching both of you die."

"This really isn't the theatres." I don't even bother asking where she got the popcorn.

"No, it isn't. But it _is_ really entertaining."

"Oh!" All of our heads swivel towards "Mary", even mine, despite it still being dangerously hanging out of a speeding locomotive. Wait. Anzix's head is hanging back, without response. The poor guy must have been knocked out cold. Well, that's what you get for sneaking into a girl's house and then getting caught.

"See here, everyone!" "Mary" exclaims. "Red is a hot, dangerous colour. You treat this person with caution which may or may not include respect."

Kaixin snickers. "That makes sense, Xaedan's always getting beaten up by a wee lassie."

Well... when you put it that way... I _am_ getting hit pretty often lately...

"Shhh! This part gets good. Blue is a cool, gentle colour. It means that person l-"

Tsukumi wrenches her arm back and desperately, almost maniacally, snatches the brochure back, though she has to take her hands off of me to do so. At last! I drag my still-intact head back in, thanking my lucky stars I managed to live through that ordeal.

"No!" the Toa of Water screeches. And with that, she tosses the entire booklet out the window. Amea cranes her head towards the heavily-breathing Water Toa.

"Why?" she said simply. Tsukumi regains her composure with a quick clearing of her throat. "I slipped."

"You slipped." Amea's eyebrows are raised, very obviously not buying the lie.

"Yes. Do we have a problem with that?" she challenged us all.

"Yeah... I think my back has a really painful problem..." Anzix croaked from the ground.

* * *

><p>"Hm. About time you guys cleaned up your act," Kaixin said cheerfully as we all took our seats once again. "Have I got a treat for you all!" Anzix, despite still smoking slightly from the repeated taser jabs, brightens. "You have more pictures of Tsukumi's private life? Give those here, I'll make sure they get around."<p>

"Eh, well, no. But I bet this is just as good! I spent all morning making these. That's why we kicked you out of the house, Xaedan. Tsukumi, "Mary" and I wanted to surprise you. I made lunch for all of us!"

A moment of silence. I look at Anzix. And he looks at me. Eyes locked, steady, unblinking, unwavering, unchanging.

''Do you know?'' my face reads.

''I know,'' is plastered over Anzix' features. Good. He is aware of the dire situation. The Toa of Plasma harrumphs.

"Oh, sorry about this, Kaixin. Amea and I brought our own food." At that, he grunts. "I didn't really have a choice in that matter, she forces me to eat whatever she cooks." Amea folds her arms, as if that settled the matter. Which it did.

"Mary" raises a hand, sheepishly. "Tsukumi told me to make my own lunch, so I did. If I knew you were making enough for all of us, I would have said no." Kaixin sighs. "I'm assuming you made your own meal, as well, Tsukumi?"

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?' Unexpectedly, the Toa of Ice laughs. "Ah, no matter. That just means more for Xaedan and I! Here, firespitter. Try the pudding, it's a new recipe."

Oh, she's a crafty one, that sly Toa of Water. Trying to catch me unawares so I would have to fall prey to Kaixin's diabolical food. A clever plan, a plan that would fool most men. But not I.

"Ah, I happen to have brought along some food. What a coincidence!" I snap open a compartment in my armor and rummage around a bit, finally producing a much-mangled bun. There was no guarantee if it was past its expiration date or not. Still, better than Kaixin's food.

With a blur of movement, the bread is snatched from my hand and stuffed unceremoniously into Tsukumi's mouth. And it was just an inch away from my tongue!

With a sinking heart, I watch as my only lifeline gets slowly dissolved by the digestive enzymes in the Toa of Water's saliva. When I see the lump on her throat bob slightly as she swallows, I feel as if a tiny piece of me died right there and then.

I shake my head indignantly. "Why?!"

"I slipped." Now it's my turn to raise an eyebrow. "You slipped. Well, in that case..." I narrow my eyes.

My hand shoots out, seeking to grab the traitorous Water Toa's sandwich. "Oops! I'm slipping!"

"Oh, careful there, Xaedan," Amea says softly. She's clamped my hand with her own, faster than the eye could even follow. "I'll hold onto your arm very tightly so you won't slip. Don't you worry, I'll be looking out for you."

What's this? Amea and Tsukumi are in cahoots? The situation takes yet another turn for the worse.

I fear for my life. Again. That's two times in the same number of minutes. I must admit, I lead a very unhealthy lifestyle.

"Hmmm," Anzix hmmm's. "Scoot over here, would you, old chap?" I do so, and he leans forward, talking softly. "I have an idea. Amea's given me some rice rolls filled with some strange green-paste thing. It's mildly spicy, so it might ease the effects of Kaixin's food by messing with your taste buds."

I sigh with relief. "You're a lifesaver, Anzix."

Kaixin blinks. "Uh. What's going on?" "Mary" is just as bewildered. I must tell her the true nature of the Ice Toa's culinary disaster, sooner or later. Preferably the former.

"Nothing!" we all chorus.

I'm handed a roll made of rice wrapped in some dark papery thing. It looks innocent enough, just a sticky white cylinder with a pale green substance in the middle. Down the hatch.

"Mary" snickers.

"What?" I ask, while chewing. I take another bite. Hm. That's odd. My mouth is tingling.

"Xaedan, that's wasabi."

"Wah... sah bee? What's that, a disease?" She laughs. "No! It's a spice I introduced to Amea. It's not something you should be taking a mouthful of."

I didn't hear a single word of "Mary"'s explanation since I was desperately spitting and hacking up the contents of the rice roll. Sure, I made a mess of the carpet, but I was out of options. By the spirits, that was brutal! I'm a Toa of Fire, and even I thought that was spicy.

Tsukumi sniggers. "Well, hey, not that your taste buds are nuked, maybe, you know... you could eat her food." I widen my eyes. That's right! If I can't taste anything... I thrust out my chest and face the impending danger like a man.

"Alright then, Kaixin. Hit me up!" She grins and cracks open the tub of pudding. "Say ahh!"

"Ahhhhhh!'

* * *

><p>Later that day, there were reports of an explosion aboard the oversize carriage of the afternoon train to Faxis Beach.<p>

Nobody would ever find the culprit. The authorities had one lead, and one lead only: a spoon, still streaked slightly with chocolate pudding.


	5. Chapter IV

**Chapter IV**

Toa Anzix

"Oho, you're alive! "Mary" and I were getting worried when you started mumbling and confessing your life's sins."

Xaedan mumbles from the floor. "...Where?"

"You've been dragged, literally dragged, into the booked room for us three. The girls get their own room. Mata Nui knows what glorious secrets they hide, dead-bolted behind their hotel door." I snicker.

"Three? But..."

I flop on top of the room's only bed. "

"Mary"'s with us, she's in your head as of now. Sleeping, I presume."

At last, the fire-spitter sits up, and the first inklings of realization dawn upon him. "I see. We're at Faxis now, right? Just how long was I out?"

I smirk. "Kaixin's food did you in for a good six hours. It already nighttime and you've missed dinner. And such a fine dinner it was, too. All you can eat."

"That's fine, really. I've lost my appetite," he groans. "Just thinking about eating makes want to curl up in a corner and die. Now what?"

I whip out my trusty camera. "Now, I fulfill my task. I didn't come here to soak in the hot springs, though I'll be doing that, too."

Xaedan's face scrunches up in a grimace as he asks, "Pray tell, what is your task? Though I can guess what it involves." As the Toa of Fire says this, he eyes my camera with wary eyes.

My smirk widens into a full-fledged grin. "It involves delving deep into uncharted territory, let's just say that. It'll be the adventure of a lifetime! You want in?"

The fire-spitter moans from the floor and absently waves a hand. "Maybe tomorrow. Like you said, it's the dead of night. This is no time to go on one of your mentally retarded schemes, Anzix."

I let out a hearty hero's laugh. "You have much to learn, grasshopper. There are certain deeds best done under the cover of darkness, and this is one of them. I'm offering you the chance of a lifetime. Are you really sure you want to pass it up?"

* * *

><p><span>Toa Xaedan<span>

Do I want to pass it up? Maybe I wouldn't on a good day. Maybe when my stomach isn't busy hurting like the dickens. Maybe on a day when pigs turn green, or when Tsukumi comes to me with a confession of her love. "Yes, Anzix, I'm very sure."

The Plasma Toa lets out a deep sigh, one laced with deep regret and pitying. "Suit yourself, fire-spitter. I guarantee you, you're making a mistake here."

I'm sure he had more to say, but by that time, I had already fallen asleep on the floor.

* * *

><p><span>Toa Anzix<span>

_Two hours later_

Somewhere in the background, I swear I could hear some really epic secret agent theme song going on. Perhaps the one from the movie with that slick Po-Matoran actor in it… what was his name… Tohm something.

It's the wee hours of the morning and all of the good people of Faxis lie sleeping in their cozy little beds, having their sweet dreams and whatnot.

Save for one: Me. I'm hard at work _achieving_ my dream.

Faster than the night wind and twice as quiet, I steal down the third floor corridor, making use of the inky pools of darkness. My target? The basement.

The stairs were out of the question, I'd cause a racket going down those tiny little Agori-sized steps. But, no fear. Le-Matoran Scout rule number one: Always be prepared. Without haste, I unwind a length of rope, to which a hook was attached. There was no need to be quick. Hurriedness dulls the mind.

Gently, ever so gently, I ease open the nearest window, taking infinite care to make not a sound. A mouse probably would be louder than me right be now. After securing the grapple, I rappel down not to the ground floor, but to the second. Here, I'll meet up with a few of my, ah, acquaintances. It helps to have a few trusty sidekicks, after all. Seasoned warriors all, with at least five years of missions under their belt. They might all be Le-Matoran and Jungle Agori, but they weren't the least bit green when it came to covert operations. They totaled four. Upon my given signal, our motley group tumbled out the window, one by one, rolling on the ground to soften our impacts. A stroke of luck; We managed to land on the front lawn so the grass was fairly forgiving to our fall.

Onwards we go, silently.

Stealth was of the essence here. The night was still young, we had all the time we need. I signal a stop with a raised fist. Two fingers then rise up, signalling for the pair of Jungle Agori on our team to spring into action. Their part in this operation was simple. Disable the security of the front doors and wait outside as backup.

It takes just under a minute for them to finish. I, followed by the Le-Matoran, pass through the hotel doors. No alarms, no guards. This is good. Very good, in fact. Yet, I give the Agori a quick glare. They were rather slow this time around. Normally, this'd be done in ten seconds flat.

With a swift wave of the same two fingers, I signal the go-ahead. The Le-Matoran and I storm the deserted hotel lobby, heading immediately to the elevators. All done without a trace of sound, of course.

"Boss, will this task-job be ever quick-fast? Others will be open-eyed soon!"

"Quiet, Jata. Your talk-shouting will open-eye everyone."

I lean down and clamp a hand over their mouths. "If you talk it won't be very fast, now will it?" I hiss at the two. "Jata, you take one elevator and plant the first camera at the west end. I'll take Vatura here and we'll cover the southeastern end. Got it?" The two bumbling Le-Matoran nodded as best as they could behind my massive palms. "Good. Get going. And don't forget to contact me if anything goes wrong. You have the radio handset right?"

I release the pair and give Jata a light push to send him on his way. "Yeah, boss, no need to fret-worry," he calls softly over his shoulder. "Got it right here, safe-sound. I'll get fast-going, luck-fortune with you!" I didn't reply, but his parting response was welcomed all the same.

With a click of my fingers, a crowbar was instantly handed to me by my trusty combat accessory, Vatura. The elevators were locked at this hour for security purposes. This was a five-star hotel so security wasn't exactly a pushover, but it shouldn't pose a problem for someone like me. After all, it's next to impossible to secure anything so it's Toa-proof.

I grunt as I snap the crowbar.

Perhaps that wasn't the best course of action.

I motion for Vatura to take a step back as I melt two fist-sized holes for handholds in the elevator doors with a bit of my plasma. Already, the Le-Matoran was siphoning off the smoke with a small handheld vacuum. These guys weren't called the best of the best for nothing.

At last, the elevator doors lay open before the two of us, revealing a pitch-black shaft. That is, it didn't really reveal anything.

Vatura held up a small flashlight, most likely produced from one of the many, many pockets sewn into his overcoat. The Matoran's trench coat was something of a mystery. It seems to hold everything that's needed no matter what the situation, the small vacuum being a prime example. I mean, who would carry a portable vacuum around with them?

Only the founder of Vatura, Sons and Co., Mercenary and Demolitions Co., that's who.

The little, but bright, ray of light coming from the flashlight showed the two of us everything what would normally be in your garden-variety elevator shaft. A thick, steel cable running down the middle, the elevator itself, and dust. Oh, there was so much dust, such a copious amount of dust.

And there was a dead rat. Delightful.

Dust and rats aside, it was the elevator car that caused Vatura to mutter a curse.

I'd murmur a few choice words myself, but such behaviour was unbecoming of a Toa.

"Arthaka's beard and monocle, now what do we do-plan?" Vatura says to me.

I huff. "We're going to have to blast our way through."

"Dammit, boss, the fix-repair fees are going up-through the roof!"

"You got any other better ideas?" At that, I'm met with silence.

The elevator car was halted slightly below the ground floor. Our motley group was hoping the elevator would be stopped at any other floor but the ground or basement. Now, instead of just simply rappelling down, we'd have to blow a hole in the elevator's floor. Looks like our luck had run out.

Well, we've come so far, no point in turning back now. With a snap of my fingers, energy envelopes my hand and I press my palm on the elevator floor. Maybe half a minute or so should be enough to melt a good-sized hole.

"Time?" I hiss at Vatura. With a deft flick of his wrist, the Le-Matoran desperado produces a tiny pocket watch from his overcoat. "Three hours 'til dawn-rise, boss."

Three hours. Should be enough.

"There, got it. Pass me that cable now." With the metal cables looped over my shoulder, I weld one of the end of the cable to the ceiling. This will allow the two of us to rappel down to the basement. At that thought, I can't help but grin. This plan has been weeks in the making, and success is nearly within grasp.

"Right. Let's go."

The Le-Matoran chuckled. Clearly, he'd been waiting for this moment, too. "Down into the belly of the monster-beast, huh, boss?"

"Mhhm. Straight down into that belly of the monster-beast."

* * *

><p>"Ugh! Finally. Clear!" Yet another smoking hole lay in our wake as Vatura and I tumble through the sad remains of the basement elevator doors.<p>

"You're on your own-self, bossman. I must-need to do my part." I flash him a quick thumbs up and sprint down the hallway. Silently, of course.

He departs down a left, smaller corridor. In just a few short moments, he turned a corner and was lost from sight.

This hotel, the Star of the Sea, was not your ordinary hotel. No, not at all. Even the hallways in the basement were as sumptuous as the rest of the building. Tasteful paintings lined the walls, showing either dead heroes of the past or some rich, pompous Matoran. A rich, shaggy carpet, thick enough to pass for a thin mattress, cushioned my footsteps. This was undoubtedly imported from the famed craftsmen who lived in the southern desert settlements.

Yeah, like I cared about all that.

The only reason that the basement wasn't some musty, concrete labyrinth was because of the hot springs. The Star of the Sea was famous for its hot baths which drew water from underground reservoirs or steaming water. As such, they made every effort to spice up their basement to entice tourists.

Now, _that_ I cared about.

My final destination was indeed the hot baths of this fine hotel. More specifically, half of them. I gently ease open the door labeled "Women" while preparing a tiny pinhole camera. Mission success!

Ok, so, if the mission was a success, then why did all of the lights suddenly go out? Inky blackness fills the room, plunging me into the thick dark. A power shortage? Honeestly, of all times, of course a blackout would happen now.

I stumble around for a bit and meet a new friend, the wall, before finally remembering I'm a Toa of Plasma.

I snap my fingers and a right spark heeds my call, dancing around for a bit before resting on my fingertip. The little light it sheds is enough to illuminate a Le-Matoran lying on the floor.

I step over- Wait.

Bending over, I take a good, long, horrified look at the body. The poor fellow's been bound with strong ropes in the fetal position and gagged. "Jata? Is that you?"

His eyes snap open and roll wildly for a second before focusing on me. He begins to shake his head wildly.

"What? Are you having a seizure? I'll call for a doctor as soon as I finish rigging this here camera. You won't lose too much mental capacity, don't you fret, I'll be just two minutes."

Jata adds muffled grunts as he tries to spit out the gag. No such luck, however.

"What?" I hiss at him. "What do you want? Just give a sec, alright?" Le-Matoran these days. So hyperactive.

I walk into yet another wall. Argh, that Jata. He's jeopardizing this entire operation by distracting me. At times like these, you have to be at your best, totally focused, not worrying about some squirming Matoran.

I move the right and walk into the wall, yet again. Eh? Just what going on here?

I bring my sparking finger higher up, trying to see what is barring my way. From the blueprints I've seen, there shouldn't be anything here…

From behind, I hear Jata moan something that might have been "Told you so!"

"Hello, Anzix," a soft voice greets me.

I hear the all-too-familiar crackle of a taser.

* * *

><p><span>Toa Tsukumi<span>

My eyes snap open and I sit up, whipping the covers off. I swear I could have heard an unearthly wail echoing through the hotel. And it was much too loud for it to have been in a dream or from my imagination.

"Mmmm, go to shleep, 'kumi," Kaixin blearily mumbles. "Just Anzix n' Amea… 'n their usual..." The Toa of Ice yawns widely, smacks once, then snuggles ever deeper into her mountain of quilts.

Ah, yes. Amea did say something about Anzix's plot to set up a hidden camera in the women's section of the hot baths. Well, that's not my problem.

I hear yet another blood-curdling shriek.

With a grunt, I flop over and close my eyes while Kaixin's soft murmurs about waffles and ice cream, and Anzix's tortured screams, lull me asleep.


	6. Chapter V

**Chapter V**

Toa Xaedan

Something heavy.

Heavy and on top of me. And squirming a bit, too.

"Mmmm..," I manage to push out through sleep-stiff lips. "Heavy. Geroff…"

An indignant harrumph. "What did you just call me? Heavy, was it? You're asking for a wallop, mister."

I let loose a great groan. "Kaixin, if you don't get off me in the next five seconds, you will be _launched_ off, mark my words."

"Oh, my my, I get to be launched off by Xaedan! I feel all tingly just thinking about it!"

"Please don't say such misleading things…"

"Dear me, Kaixin, you're quite mistaken. I will be the one doing the launching in the next five seconds. And trust me, you'll feel anything but tingly."

I crack my eyes open and squint at the rambunctious Ice Toa, who now wears a pout on her face.

"Aww, "Mary"! Quit hogging Xae all to yourself. I get to annoy him too, you know! Plus, you're with him twenty-four seven, aren't you?"

"Stop." I hold up my palm. "One, Kaixin, take that apron off, you're not cooking a crumb within fifty meters of me, nor are you my personal chef. Two, "Mary", when did you even get here? Three, I want the lock on our room door re-installed."

"Mary" blinks at me. "The lock? What, why?"

"Well, if Kaixin got in here, it stands to reason that others will come storming here any minute now."

"Maggot! Up and at 'em! Stop wasting my time." I don't even have to turn my head to know who that is.

Case in point. Somehow, the girls had managed to break the lock and now they'd colonized my room as their own. Amea's not far behind, dragging along with her a body bag. She nods curtly to me in greeting, and I reply in turn. Nothing out of the ordinary here.

"Alright, everyone's here!" Kaixin stands up at last, and I take in a gulp of air.

"Today's the day where we do vacation things," Tsukumi begins, pacing about like a drill sergeant. "We'll be at the beach, then we'll hoard as much spoils of war as we can-" The Toa of Water coughs. "I mean, we'll be shopping. Lastly, we're going to the night market. Is that clear?"

I raise my hand.

"What, maggot?"

"Who died and made you leader?"

Tsukumi chuckles and leans in, her mask not more than a few inches away from mine.

"We can arrange your death, if you want."

"Shouldn't we just start arranging for your to-do list now, Tsukumi?" Kaixin points out hurriedly, before anything not fit to describe with words started happening. "We've got all our bags ready, but Xae's needs to prepare too. Amea, is Anzix good to go?"

The Sonics Toa pats the body bag behind her and nods in confirmation.

I don't see how being stuffed in a body bag qualifies as ready, to be frank.

Taking "Mary"'s proffered hand, I stand. "Out with you all, then. I'll meet you guys by the front exit in five minutes. How does that sound?"

"If you're late, I'll kill you. Maggot."

* * *

><p>With hands on my knees, I gasp and gulp huge breaths of air. I made it! I made it on schedule, with a few seconds to spare. That Toa of Water was actually timing me!<p>

We Toa were gathered just outside of the hotel by the front gardens. Time and care had obviously been put into the many masterfully trimmed hedges and flower arrangements all around us. Oh, and there's a buck naked statue of a Artakha Bull. He appears to be urinating into a multi-tiered fountain. Lovely.

"We're all here?" Tsukumi glances around, keeping track of the crew. "Good. Amea, you can take Anzix out now."

With a single nod, she unzips the body bag and begins to untie the ropes binding the unfortunate Toa of Plasma.

The Toa of Water continues. "As leader of this here squad, I order you to all have as much fun as possible. If you do not, I will have you flogged. Are we clear?"

A resounding cheer comes from us, and we stampede out of the inn's lobby.

"I thought I was the leader," I point out.

Kaixin places an arm on my shoulder. "Haha, yeah, no."

Matoran and Agori are lowering peering at us as we charge out of the hotel's wrought-iron gates and into the town, some even lowering their sunglasses to get a better look.

"Mary"'s jumps on me, forcing me to piggyback her all the way. Amea's doing something similar, fireman carrying a protesting Anzix. Tsukumi and Kaixin, however, are causing the most ruckus. The Water Toa brought a huge, four-foot, inflatable dolphin along while Kaixin toted a folded volleyball net in her arms.

The six of us made quite the sight, sprinting through the street on our way to the beach. Our collective cries of excitement could be heard through the entire street at that moment, drawing a disapproving glare of some wizened old Po-Matoran.

"Young whippersnappers these days...!" he wheezed before tripping on his own cane.

Wait a minute…

Tsukumi was the first to reach the ocean. Already finished kicking off her greaves and shoulder armor, she dives into the great blue with gusto. Her inflated dolphin follows with a flop of its plastic tail.

Matoran and Agori dive out of the way, fearing for their lives, as the rest of us follow our, ah, leader's example. We kick up great clouds of pristine white sand in our haste. Faxis Beach was, as one can probably tell from its name, renowned for its coastal tourist attractions. For nearly half of the year, clear blue skies and sparkling ocean waters coupled with the balmy tropical temperature enticed the entire Xeno Nui populace to take a break from the ordinary humdrum of life.

With Tsukumi laughing and beckoning, the rest of us jump in. I take a more cautious approach and wade in inch by inch, much to my regret. As soon as my leg hit the water's surface, steam and boiling water surrounds me. "I think I'll sit this one out, guys."

"Take a good look at us, maggot," Tsukumi replies. "Are you really going to let a bit of smoke stop you from having some fun?"

I do so. And I see Anzix enveloped in a veritable halo of energy, undoubtedly brought on by the salty seawater. He's bright enough to pass as a streetlamp. Amea's up to her eyes in water. Clearly, she didn't bother to take off any armor and, as such, sank like a rock. Kaixin's radiating enough cold to turn the nearby water into ice, which she is desperately punching at to break up. She's redefining the word "icebreaker". And though Tsukumi's not affected by the water, she looks stupid enough as it is with her dolphin.

"Alright," I conceded. "Fair enough. You all look like idiots anyways, I'll fit right in."

A harrumph. "Ok, well, except for you, "Mary"'. She seemed the most happy in the water out of all of us, just bobbing gently up and down with the tides. Like a normal person.

I take another quick glance at the rest of the gang, truly seeing how odd we looked. Oh, and let's not forget about me. I probably look like I'm farting underwater seeing as there are so many bubbles around me.

But, still. It's definitely the massive dolphin which sends the idiocy over the top.

* * *

><p><span>Toa Anzix<span>

Amea beckons at me with an outstretched finger. I look up, seeing as she was already out of the water, though I have to shield my eyes to do so. The entire early morning had already passed away, filled with splashing, laughter, and one incident of near-drowning. Ok, so, maybe trying to snap pictures at girls from underwater wasn't the greatest plan, but I still don't see why Tsukumi had to hold my head underwater for so long.

"Hurry up," the Toa of Sonics quietly said, though impatiently. A pity. I actually kind of liked the mild electrocution I caused in the water. It was a fuzzy kind of feeling, kind of like rolling around in Tsukumi's bedsheets. Oh, she has _great _bedsheets. I could spend hours in them. Which I have.

I clamber ashore, dripping and sparking as I go. At last, it seems, the volleyball net has been set up, and with great price in sweat, blood and tears. Mostly Xaedan's though, so that's okay.

It was to a be a straightforward, sportsmanlike game. Three on three, no dirty tricks, no tomfoolery, and certainly no cheating. None of that. Just volleyball, plain and simple.

Amea grips my upper arm, holding me close. "What?" I ask, looking down at her. She's clinging to me like one of those limpets I accidentally stepped on earlier.

"You're on my team." Her eyes meet mine, and I am powerless to look away. I see a world of pain in store for me if I do not comply.

On the other side of the court, Kaixin and Tsukumi are engaged in a heated match of rock-paper-scissors.

When Toa play this classic game, it's a little bit different than what most people are used to. You have to _beat up_ your opponent with whatever object you choose. So, despite Kaixin having trumped over Tsukumi's paper, we have the Ice Toa enveloped in a thick slab of water.

At last, a soaked Kaixin sulkily makes her way to our team. Maybe it's just me, but she looks a bit disappointed.

"Argh!" My head is wrenched roughly downwards, away from the Toa of Ice.

"The only girl you're allowed to look at for more than five seconds is me. Got it?"

I manage to twist my way out of Amea's neck pinch. I mutter darkly to myself but I do as I'm told, out of fear of any further pinches or, Mata Nui forbid, taser shocks. Nasty things, those.

"Service!" Tsukumi's voice floats from the other side of the net and she tosses the ball upwards, setting herself up for an overhead serve. Xaedan and "Mary" flank her, at the ready and determined to win.

"Hey, Amea, you hear that? Something… something like a big rush of wind."

"I hear it, yes. What of it?"

"No, no," I mutter, more to myself than the Toa of Sonics. "Not like a rush of wind. It's like…" My voice trails off as I look upward. I find my voice a quick moment later and take the opportunity to yell at Tsukumi.

"Hey! You slag-heap Toa of Water!" I scream across the court. "What in Tren Krom's hamstring do you think you're doing?" Hurriedly, I wave my arms to gesture my team to look for the ball.

Frantic turning on the spots accompanied by wildly rolling eyes finally bore fruit. Kaixin points to somewhere, oh, maybe thirty feet in the sky. "Up there! The ball is there!"

I blink. "What, you mean at the top of that massive tsunami rolling in? Huh, I wonder how in the world that got there. Oh, wait." I avert my eyes away from the huge wave and train them on Tsukumi. "That's right. We've got a crazed murderer of a Water Toa with us!"

"Whatever happened to our fair game, Tsukumi? I'm pretty sure we agreed to have a proper match from the get-go." Kaixin, though busy craning her neck to see just how high the tsunami really was, still found time to be annoyed with the Toa of Water.

"In all honesty, it'll be no fun if we just toss a ball over and over again across a net. I had to spice it up a little."

Even Xaedan, one of Tsukumi's teammates, speaks up. "By definition, a tsunami is not 'little'. It's a massive wave that has the capability of leveling a city."

Amea raises a hand. "We should do something about that wave, then," she interjects with her usual soft voice, forestalling any maggot-related retort Tsukumi might have come up with.

I snap my fingers. "Oh, yeah, I knew we were forgetting something important. Stopping the deaths of hundreds of Matoran and Agori is pretty vital, isn't it, Kaixin?"

"You don't say. I guess I'll just freeze it up?"

"Hah!" Tsukumi lets out a hearty laugh. "What do you guys take me for? An amateur? Please." The Toa of Water waves her hand and the towering wall of water instantly vanishes with a loud 'pop', sending a few thrill-seeking surfers plummeting down into the ocean.

The poor surfers weren't the only things that fell once the wave disappeared.

Kaixin elbows me. Locking eyes, we give a nod and clasp hands. In all my years, I've never tried combining plasma with ice, but what's the harm in trying?

The moment our fingers touch, the two of us emit a painfully bright blast of light, searing my eyes and most likely everyone else's as well. Clearly, our powers weren't compatible. I could hear a faint buzzing in my ears as well. Rubbing my eyes helps a bit with the sudden flash of light, but there was really nothing I could do about the white noise. Highly annoying.

"What is that? And what happened to the ball?" Kaixin's voice comes somewhere from my left. My eyesight is returning but much too slowly for my liking. Yet, I can make out the volleyball, encased in a clear cube of some material I've never seen before.

I stumble over and poke at it, only to immediately withdraw my finger. It's hot! No. Rather, it was so cold that it felt like a burn.

"I'll take care of that, Anzix. Just step back a bit." Xaedan crawls under the net, fire dancing on his fingertips. "It' just a block of ice. I'll melt it, and we'll get on with our game in no time."

Kaixin blinks. "That's not ice…"

Just being near Xaedan's flames causes the mysterious block to start smoking. "See? Nothing to it," he says. He hunkers down and adds more fire.

Kaixin was right. That isn't ice. And even if she didn't say so, I would have figured it out just by looking at the strange smoke coming from the melting cube. Then… what is this foreign material?

Amea taps my shoulder.

"Can this wait? I'm a bit busy, Amea. I promise, I wasn't looking at anyone for longer than five seconds, alright?"

"It's solid hydrogen."

"What?"

"The volleyball. It's encased in a block of solid hydrogen. When Kaixin used her ice in conjunction with your plasma, it supercooled and formed hydrogen's solid state. The gas leaking off is also hydrogen. Impure, since it isn't colourless, but still of high concentration."

Silence.

"You know," Xaedan remarks, "I think that's the most I've heard you talk, Amea."

"Who cares?" I reply with alarm. "Everyone! Take cover! It's going to bl-"

The resulting explosion was large enough to spread into North Xeno's newspapers, thousands of kios away. Luckily, "Mary" had kept enough of a level head to defuse most of the fire before it spread. Praise be to Mata Nui for a second fire-user on our team. The rest of us just ran about like headless chickens, Xaedan included. In the end, it was only the shockwave that caused most of the damage, none of it too lasting.

The volleyball, somehow, survived the whole ordeal and was launched straight up. I later found out that in a small village in the north, it had been mistaken for a shooting star.

"Mine!" Kaixin positions herself squarely under the ball as it makes its way down from the stratosphere. She glances at me. "Help me out here, Anzix!"

The ball was red-hot with air friction, a literal fireball. I siphon off the heat and the ball bounces harmlessly off of Kaixin's outstretched arms. A textbook 'bump'. I follow up with a well-place volley, setting up Amea for a perfect spike, who opens her mouth instead.

"You'll thank me later," I grunt as I wrap an arm around the Toa of Ice and bury both our heads into the sand, and not a moment too soon. A ghastly wail erupts from Amea as she uses her amplified voice to hurtle the ball over the net. If Kaixin and I hadn't protected our ears, I suspect we would have had brain fluid leaking out of them. I saw that once. Not pretty. It's this horrible gray, runny liquid that-

"Hey! Pay attention!" Kaixin was already on her feet, spitting out sand.

I turn my eyes to the opposing team. Tsukumi successfully received the ball though she had to dive to do so. It's followed up by a nice pass from "Mary" and finally, Xaedan pushes it over.

"You maggot, that was terrible!"

"What? How? There's nothing wrong with using another volley instead of a spike."

"Not that, you're supposed to use your Toa Powers! Throw some fire, maybe. Or maybe burn the net. You could even melt their faces."

"Oh? That sounds like a challenge, Tsukumi," Kaixin calls out as she passes the volleyball to Amea with a well-placed header.

"And what if it is?"

"Then we accept," Amea replies coolly. The Sonics Toa volleys the ball to me. "Beat the tobacco juice out of them, Anzix," she continues. "If you mess up, I'll castrate you."

"That's still better than getting married to you," I retort as I activate my mask. I wear the Kanohi Avalos, the Mask of War. Volleyball, war, same thing. The important thing is that it'll boost the morale of my team.

"Alright, men! Let's have a go at it!" I yell. With an almighty punch, I channel my plasma directly into the ball, driving it not over but clean through the net. What was once a harmless little air-filled rubber ball is now a shimmering super-heated orb of doom and destruction, trailing fiery sparks in its wake.

"That's 'women', Anzix," Kaixin mutters.

* * *

><p><span>Toa Xaedan<span>

First an explosive cube, and now a volatile mass of energy. Why is it always me? Why do I always have to be guy who always takes one for the team? It's exceedingly painful, that's what it is.

The superheated volleyball roars past the Toa of Water, who had just managed to dive out of the way in the nick of time. It heads straight for me, heat rolling off of it in hazy waves, searing the air nearby.

With a cry, I extend my hand and seek to bring the roiling orb of energy under my control. All heat is energy, and fire is just another form of it. With enough effort… I might just be able to…

A hand covers my own. I look up to see the smiling face of "Mary".

"Silly Xae. I control fire too, let me help with that. We're on the same team for a reason."

"Hey! No fair!" Kaixin cries. "That's a double touch!"

"Technically, we haven't even touched it yet. It's kind of just floating in the air by itself," I point out. "None of the rules have been broken." I have the good graces to not point out that transforming the volleyball into a miniscule star is against the rules, too.

Yet another hand, a blue one this time, overlaps "Mary"'s.

I blink. "Tsukumi, what are you doing this time?"

"What, I can't hold your hand? Er, I mean, can't I help as well?" The Water Toa seems a bit flustered.

"Can you manipulate fire, Tsukumi?"

"Well, no, not really."

"Then you've answered your own question."

I'm expecting some sort of witty comeback, most likely on the topic of baby flies. We've been together for weeks now and I think I've finally got this Tsukumi girl figured out. She's just one of your usual nutjobs, rude and not at all civilized.

So, what's up with that sad frown on her face, then?

"Mary" glances at me pointedly, though her face is otherwise unreadable. Looks like I'll not be getting her help this time around.

"Fine," I say with a sigh. "Come on, Tsukumi. Try your best to assist "Mary" and I, then." The ball between "Mary" and my hands is now reddish, though still brightly glowing. The two of us had already managed to siphon off much of Anzix's plasma.

I look up, waiting for Tsukumi.

Huh? Where'd she go?

"Hey, you guys!" Kaixin is waving her arms about, clearly trying to get our attention. "Look at the clouds. We'll have to wrap up our game for today."

I feel something cold trickle down my back as the Toa of Ice says this.

It's raining.


End file.
